My town doesn't have a gun show but many similar sized towns in the area do (some are even smaller!). What's involved in organizing one? Anyone with past experience doing it have any advice? I don't know if I could get a local club to support it, so I'm thinking of donating any profits to the local 4-H or something. Thanks.
Anyone ever organize a gun show?
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I'm not sure what current regulations might bring to the running of a gun show and in general I mean Insurance and sales tax requirements.
I used to do a show here in MN and at that time I simply rented the local town armory for the weekend. I then put together the advertising including flyers first to hand out at other gun shows, and post in towns around the area. Then newspaper and radio for closer to the time of the show.
I made a floor plan for the table layout and made sure I had enough tables. You can get extra's from local churches, or other organizations for not too much rental. In my case the Armory had tables available. I made a deal with the Armory custodian to pay him to help set-up and clean up at the end.
Then made arrangments for a food service. In my case, my friends helped and we used the kitchen at the armory to make and serve BBQ's and ham sandwiches along with potato salad, chips and of course coffee and pop.
MN changed some laws since then and one is forced as a promoter to assure that all people who set up have a MN sales tax permit. In some other cases, I have heard that rental places require you have insurance coverage for the weekend.
Try to find a date where you don't conflict with any nearby established shows, or you won't get dealers to come to yours. Provide security for the show, if not with friends, then possibly get a local off duty officer to work the show. I spent the night on a cot in the armory to provide security at night.
I used to do a show here in MN and at that time I simply rented the local town armory for the weekend. I then put together the advertising including flyers first to hand out at other gun shows, and post in towns around the area. Then newspaper and radio for closer to the time of the show.
I made a floor plan for the table layout and made sure I had enough tables. You can get extra's from local churches, or other organizations for not too much rental. In my case the Armory had tables available. I made a deal with the Armory custodian to pay him to help set-up and clean up at the end.
Then made arrangments for a food service. In my case, my friends helped and we used the kitchen at the armory to make and serve BBQ's and ham sandwiches along with potato salad, chips and of course coffee and pop.
MN changed some laws since then and one is forced as a promoter to assure that all people who set up have a MN sales tax permit. In some other cases, I have heard that rental places require you have insurance coverage for the weekend.
Try to find a date where you don't conflict with any nearby established shows, or you won't get dealers to come to yours. Provide security for the show, if not with friends, then possibly get a local off duty officer to work the show. I spent the night on a cot in the armory to provide security at night.
Thanks for the help, mnrivrat. I assumed (yes, that's bad) that the location holding the show would have insurance since they are in the business of room/hall rental. I was thinking of either the local fairgrounds or community center, depending on how big or small the event is.
Did you set up a corporation, or at least a bank account, to handle the inflows and outflows of cash for table rental income, hall rental fees, security, cleanup, and other incidentals?
How far in advance should I plan this? 6 months? A year?
Did you set up a corporation, or at least a bank account, to handle the inflows and outflows of cash for table rental income, hall rental fees, security, cleanup, and other incidentals?
How far in advance should I plan this? 6 months? A year?
This is the first place you need to go to: http://www.naas-info.org/
That will walk you through how to go about getting insurance. Basically there are only a couple of companies that will insure a show, and they want you to abide by certain rules. Those are on that page.
Good luck. It is an EPIC undertaking. The best thing you can do is go to some other gunshows and speak with every single vendor. Especially the big travelling vendors. Pay careful attention to the dates, as you do not want to conflict with other shows, or you won't get the big travellers.
That will walk you through how to go about getting insurance. Basically there are only a couple of companies that will insure a show, and they want you to abide by certain rules. Those are on that page.
Good luck. It is an EPIC undertaking. The best thing you can do is go to some other gunshows and speak with every single vendor. Especially the big travelling vendors. Pay careful attention to the dates, as you do not want to conflict with other shows, or you won't get the big travellers.
This was in the 1980's and I simply worked off a cash basis and my own checking account at the time. I started a year before and had flyers made so that I had plenty of time to spread the flyers at other shows first . That way the dealers could make plans for that date.
I suspect it will be harder to get the dealers now depending on the area. Back then there were enough 1 and two table dealers to help fill a small 100 table show. That's not true around these parts any longer as many were driven out of business by the Clinton administration.
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